NeutralKate

American History R_Escobar (20th century, American Indian), crazedandinfused (antebellum, intellectual), hopin'-n-prayin' (southern, religious), stevemcn (transnational), Simple Twist of Fate (early American), zb642 (20th century, labor/working-class culture), BCEmory08 (19th-20th century Catholicism, labor), irvinchiva10 (20th century, immigration/immigration reform) natsteel (early American political culture and intellectual history) unforth (19th century US political and military history, US Civil War) hbeels (colonial, early national, 19th century, transappalachain west, historical memory of these eras/areas) thedig13 (20th century U.S., culture and protest, African-American) Weepsie (North American Mapping, Exploration and Trade, Anti-Communism/Socialism in Interwar period, bit of a mixed bag) European HistoryKelkel (Modern Germany, political), goldielocks (Britain), SapperDaddy (Eastern and Central Europe), kotov (Modern Romania, Holocaust, labor), RevolutionBlues (Modern Western Europe/France labor and leftist politics), theregalrenegade (18th/19th cent British Empire/environment), jrah822 (19th century Britain; emphasis on colonial relationship to India), grlu0701 (Intellectual & cultural history,fin de siecle Germany and Italy), naturalog (modern European [mostly German] intellectual and cultural/sexuality and gender/political radicalism), runaway (Eastern/Central, memorialization & visual culture), Sequi001 (Modern France, gender and sexuality, colonialism/imperialism) Abetheh (19th/early 20th century Germany and France, religious politics vs secularization) NeutralKate (Modern Russia, modern European economic history) African HistoryOseirus (precolonial/early colonial West Africa), Singwaya18 (20th century East Africa), Safferz (20th century Horn/Northeast Africa), The People's Scholar (Spanish colonialim in Africa- i.e. middle/West Africa) Jogatoronto (Psychiatry in early colonial West Africa) ronwill06(Social and political radical movements) Latin American HistoryCageFree (20th century, Southern Cone), BH-history, The People's Scholar (18th-19th century Colombia) StrangeLight (20th century Central America) East Asian Historyalleykat (Modern China) kyjin (Pre-Modern Japan) Near/Middle Eastern Historyuhohlemonster, (modern Israel, Iran, Palestine) oswic (modern Egypt, gender) Atlantic Worldsandyvanb crazedandinfused Global/World History cooperstreet (Cold War) melissarose8585 Jewish History [*]uhohlemonster, (modern Israel) [*]hopin'-n-'prayin, [*]kotov (Holocaust), [*]naturalog (sometimes modern European/Holocaust), [*]runaway (memorialization & visual culture), [*]ticklemepink (20th c. Germany/U.S) Science/Technology/Environment [*]shaxmaty1848 (Cold War) [*]StrangeLight (environmental history, ecological distribution conflicts) Social [*]annieca (Cold War and Post-Cold War East and Central Europe) Classical and Medieval [*]Hogs of War (Monastic Studies and Conflicts in Authority) Cultural [*]StrangeLight (gender, race, ethnicity, and religion) [*]hbeels (race/ethnicity, religious, masculinity/feminimity, print/literature) [*]crazedandinfused (race, nationalism, performance, rhetoric) [*]alleykat (religion, race/ethnicity, cultural relativism) Canadian History [*]truthfinder (New France, religious)

I study Russian history [specifically the fall of the USSR and Gorbachev's reign], and I'll be starting my program at UB in the fall, so I'm subject to the same four lines again and again... 1. "Oh, cool, so you're Russian, right?" [no.] 2. "Buffalo is SO cold. It's probably just like Russia!" [um... Russia is a pretty big country, with some semi-tropical zones...] 3. "So, you're going to be a professor!" [Nope. NGO, baby!] and the most commonly heard statement, usually from academics from other fields.. 4. "You might want to rethink that focus. The 1980's is just too recent!." [Well, the downfall of the USSR has it's roots in the formation of the USSR and can even be attributed to Russian cultural norms dating from well before that. Also, I'll let my thesis committee decide that one.]

Hi, guys! I'd really appreciate some feedback on my SoP. This is for a History MA and I'm applying to two SUNY schools, one Connecticut state school, and a private university. I already had a former professor take a look at it and she said that it was "good" and "witty", but I feel like I could improve my SoP quite a bit. So, without further ado. Some people will claim that they were born with a passion for history. I was not exactly one of them. When I was six years old, I noticed a rather giant chunk of cement on my parent’s bookshelf. Everyday I would walk past it and wonder why they would choose to display something so aesthetically unappealing. When I later asked my parents about it, they told me that it was part of a giant wall that was built during the Cold War. They then proceeded to take away my crayons and beg me to no longer decorate our small piece of the Berlin Wall. Perhaps due in part to penance for my defacement of a historical artifact, I learned to appreciate history more during my tertiary and undergraduate education. Little did I know that I would gain a deep passion and enthusiasm for history. Initially, I jumped head first into college without any concrete idea of what I wanted to do and much of my first two years of undergraduate work included studying a vast variety of subjects. However, I tended to gravitate toward the social sciences and humanities. Then I took an undergraduate class on modern Russian history, and I found it to be the perfect specialization. This course, and the other modern European courses that followed, really cemented by my interest in history and desire to extend my education beyond a bachelors’ degree. Most aspects of modern Russian and European history greatly interest me but my main focus lies in the post-Stalin Soviet Union and Modern European Diplomacy. Two particular aspects of this interest have been the Cold War and Khrushchev’s Thaw and the subsequent repression of this cultural movement under Leonid Brezhnev’s leadership. I am also particularly interested in local history. During my internship as an interpretive/research intern at the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Site, I had the opportunity to research and create a textual history of the surrounding town and county. Conducting historical search on a small geographical location was quite interesting, and I hope for the opportunity to conduct this particular brand of research again in conjunction with my primary specialization. I am also hoping to expand my opportunities to conduct independent research. My senior seminar was an independent study designed with the approval and guidance of my academic advisor on the dissolution of the U.S.S.R., culminating with a thesis paper on the demographic decline in Russia from 1975 to present. I greatly enjoyed the opportunity to self-direct my studies and to intensely research particular historical niches instead of studying a generalized history of an area or time period. Obtaining a Masters of Arts in History will certainly expand my employment opportunities in both the private and governmental sectors, as well as prepare me for further academic study. I could envisage continuing my education with a doctoral degree and eventually entering the private sector. The [university] appears to have a strong European History department. Among the professors who I would enjoy working with are Professor X, Professor Y, and Professor Z. I specifically look forward to working with Dr. X if accepted into the program, as his interests in 20th century international relations and the Cold War align very closely with my areas of inquiry. I am currently in the middle of a gap year, which was the perfect opportunity to experience post-graduate employment and to take the time to learn basic to intermediate Russian; and, yes, to pay down student loan debt and save money. My decision to defer graduate admissions by a year also stems from the death of my mother which occurred in my senior year, which also briefly affected my grades. My passion for history is not limited to the classroom, and my involvement in my undergraduate college community was a very rewarding aspect. I was a co-editor of the Oswego Historical Review, a member of the history club, and a member of Phi Alpha Theta. In addition, I also served as a peer advisor during my senior year, assisting first year students with both academic and personal concerns. During my time at Community College, I focused on strengthening my leadership skills, becoming the president of Outdoor Adventure Club as well as serving as a senator in the Student Government Association. Outside of a collegiate setting, my interests in current affairs and literature are a helpful balance to my academic work. I look forward to continuing my interest in Modern European history in a graduate level capacity. The challenges and opportunities that continuing my education entail is an exciting prospect and I believe the experience will provide me with the skills and background to pursue a career in history. Some notes about it: + I'm very worried about the first line. How can I alter this so it doesn't scream "I hate history" when, in fact, history is my passion? + I included the death of my mother to explain why my the grade I received for a senior year winter course [FRE 101] was so low. It happened just before the course started, so I had a good deal of difficulty concentrating on the course. Should I take this section out? + Any other feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Please excuse my ignorance of the admissions process. I only just started reconsidering graduate school and I'm trying to locate a program that will fit me, but I'm rather worried that some particularities of my academic career will work against me. I recently graduated from a low-ranked SUNY school with a 3.4 GPA. While I have two 4.0 semesters, my GPA was destroyed due to a very disastrous fall semester and a failed online winter course (my mother was diagnosed with cancer in September and passed away in November, and I ended up dropping the ball academically) However, my major GPA is 3.87 and I'm a member of Phi Alpha Theta. I have not taken the GRE yet, but I'm going to attempt to take it before August. I'm also worried that my status as a transfer student will have some effect on the admissions process. I spent three years in community college in an attempt to save money and pinpoint my academic interests. My GPA was fairly low (3.3?) due to an ill-fated stint as a math major. So, what I'm looking at - first and foremost- is a university that would accept me. I have quite a few friends that have been accepted into history programs, but they all had 3.8+ GPA's and went to Columbia/NYU/not SUNY Oswego. One of my friends, a 3.8 student from NYU, was rejected from SUNY Albany- the school I figured I could use as a safety. I'm now immensely worried that I will never get into a MA or PhD. program. Beyond allowing me to register for courses, I want a school that..: + Offers terrific financial aid, especially if the program offers fellowships. + I'm looking to specialize in Russian History. While my undergrad program did not have a Russian History concentration, per se, my adviser helped me construct a Russian specialization and allowed me to take an Independent study seminar on the fall of the Soviet Union. However, I know there's a limited amount of universities that offer this specialization and many of these are impossible reaches. In addition, my interest in Russia really focuses on the post-Soviet state, a topic that hasn't really been examined by historians. Therefore, I would be equally satisfied studying general European or American history. + Offers either a M.A. or PhD. Ideally, I'd love to jump straight into a PhD. program, but realistically I'll likely have to complete a terminal M.A. before I'd stand any chance at becoming a doctoral candidate. + I would prefer a school in the Northeast or Midwest, but I am definitely open to any university. + I received a 178 on the LSAT, but this was a major fluke and I can never hope for a decent score on the GRE (my practice tests have been.. not good); So finding a school that will accept the LSAT in lieu of the GRE would be incredible. I know of ONE school that allows this, but this particular university doesn't fit my interests in the least. Thanks in advance! I apologize if any of this is convoluted or redundant.